In real life, a video recording can be used to capture live action, people, and circumstances unique to a moment in time. Home videos are a very common use for this type of medium and typically do not present significant liability issues. In some cases, however, particularly in a commercial use or public display of a video, recorded content may infringe upon the rights of those that appear in the video (i.e. participants). In these cases, discretion may be necessary for the display and sharing of the video content. In some instances releases or permission are obtained from the participants in the video. Typically, a release is obtained in the form of a signed contract granting permission to use images of a person or other images that are the property of another.
Images in a virtual world may also be recorded. Avatars (a virtual world user's presence in a virtual world including an image viewable by other users in the virtual world) may be altered when recorded to prevent other users from capturing the avatar.